CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – The Johnstown Mill Rats opened their six-game road trip with a 6-4 victory over Ohio River Valley Division leader Chillicothe Paints in Prospect League action on Monday night.
The Paints grabbed a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first courtesy of a home run by Anthony Steele, but were then held scoreless until the ninth inning.
In between, the Mill Rats scored six times to take the advantage they would never lose. Matt Santarelli drove in Sam Mast with an RBI single in both the second and fourth frames to cut the Paints’ lead to 3-2. Pete Capobianco then put Johnstown ahead for good with a three-run triple in the fifth.
Santarelli added an insurance tally for the Mill Rats in the eighth with his third run-scoring hit of the game that put Johnstown in front 6-3. Chillicothe’s Ben Gbur hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to set the final.
“We battled through some adversity and got the win,” Johnstown manager Tyler Sullivan said. “I’m proud of the way the guys fought back after getting down early. It was a good way to start this tough stretch we have ahead.”
Max Beaulieu earned the win on the mound for the Mill Rats after throwing six innings of relief. He allowed one run on seven hits while walking three and striking out five. Beaulieu stranded the tying run at first base in the ninth by getting Cameron Bowen to pop out to end the game.
“Max tossed his best outing of the year,” Sullivan said. “He threw a fantastic game of relief to keep us in front. I can’t say enough good things about how he helped us get this win.”
Santarelli topped four Mill Rats with multiple hits by going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Mast, Joe Alcorn and Mack Higuchi each recorded two hits, with Mast scoring twice.
Johnstown (19-23, 7-4) visits the Terre Haute Rex to begin a two-game series at 6:35 p.m. Tuesday night.
